With multi-billion dollar film franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe using their movies and shows as advertising space, the proliferation of product placements has become so large that it is practically unavoidable. While some films and TV shows have been more subtle with their products, others shoved it in the viewer’s face.
From blockbuster flicks like Man of Steelto extremely popular shows like Stranger Things, product placement can be a distraction that draws attention from the story. While all product placements are a little cheesy, users on Reddit found examples that ruined the experience.
Chuck (2007-2012)
Even though NBC’s massive advertising deal with the sandwich brand Subway helped to keep shows like Chuck on the air, the egregious nature of the product placement couldn’t be ignored. A deleted user let the show’s aggressive marketing speak for itself when they wrote “Subway in Chuck.”
Subway wasn’t simply advertised in the background, it was actually integrated into the story and used as a plot device. The screen was jammed with the brand’s logo, and several characters ate the food and commented on how much they enjoyed it. It was a lucrative deal for both parties, but on repeated viewing, the ads are nothing but a distraction.
Mac And Me (1988)
The ’80s schlock classic Mac and Me is known as one of the most blatantly corporate films ever, and the abundance of product placement should be no surprise considering the purpose of the film’s existence. User sue_donyem was still shocked when he wrote “Mac and Me had an extended dance sequence at McDonald’s…for no reason whatsoever.”
McDonald’s funded the movie to cash in on the waning hysteria surrounding ETand did very little to change the plot save adding in their own products. While the film was terrible to begin with, the aforementioned dance sequence throws the brakes on the film’s story and was obviously only meant to advertise the restaurant in the most ham-fisted way.
Casino Royale (2006)
The James Bond series was always very clever with its use of product placement, and Bond’s lavish lifestyle was advertising enough as it is. However, user dinkelidunkelidoja mentioned a misguided choice when saying “Casino Royale when Bond girl asks if he is wearing a Rolex.”
Vesper’s throwaway line of dialogue was so clunky that it felt as if it had been dropped in straight out of a commercial. Bond had always sported fancy products like Rolex, but in Casino Royaleit wasn’t really necessary to point it out, and there were plenty of opportunities to work in a close-up of the watch without being too obvious.
World War Z (2013)
Product placement is a necessary evil that comes along with the for-profit filmmaking industry, but it only becomes an issue when it detracts from the story. Citing one such example, user QuoisForce8 said “The pepsi commercial during the finale of World War Z. Brad Pitt stops for a Pepsi during the climax of the movie.”
Frustratingly blatant and unrepentant, the last-minute Pepsi advertisement during the finale of World War Zfeels like a slap in the face to the audience. Not only does it needlessly lengthen the film, it feels like a commercial that the viewer must sit through before they can learn the ultimate fate of the characters.
Man Of Steel (2013)
Even if the product placement isn’t woven into the story, their presence can be a distraction from the aesthetic look of a movie or show. Case in point, user McWhopper said “Man of Steel…used a very dark color pallet…but then all the logos for products were bright and stood out.”
As the user alluded to, Snyder’s signature double look was bombarded with brightly lit advertisements for products, and it still managed to be distracting despite not forcing it in the viewer’s face. Brand logos are designed to be eye-catching, and that can offer a challenge to films that are trying to specifically direct the audience’s attention.
Stranger Things (2016-Present)
Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things is known for its ’80s pop culture references, but its product placement is still too much in some viewers’ eyes. Laying out their grievances, user fruitmask wrote “I’m getting kind of tired of the constant vintage product placement in shows like Stranger Things…This is what Taco Bell looked like in the 80s, this is what Doritos looked like.”
Brands obviously existed in the 1980s, but it can often be annoying when the nostalgia for brands is shoved into a show that relies heavily on story. Stranger Things depending on nostalgia, and brands have used that love of all things ’80s as a way to sell their products.
Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014)
Big and loud action movies like Transformers: Age of Extinction offer filmmakers a chance to squeeze in product placement as cities are being destroyed in the background. Even so, user TimelessFool was still distracted by the ads when saying “a Bud Light truck was destroyed and Mark Wahlberg did a ‘What?’ Move by drinking a bottle.”
It could have been enough to simply show the truck getting destroyed, but the inclusion of a character going out of their way to drink the product is clear advertising that audiences couldn’t ignore. The fact that it was meant as a humorous moment is even worse as it feels like the film is laughing at the expense of the viewer’s time.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Though every movie and TV show in the TMNT the series is essentially an advertisement for the toy line, fans still hold the classic piece of ’80s nostalgia near and dear to their hearts. Pointing out a product placement that doesn’t make sense, a deleted user said “in the original Ninja Turtles movie. They live in New York City…and order Domino’s?”
The Ninja Turtles’ love of pizza is legendary, and a sponsorship deal would only make sense when it came to producing the first live-action flick. However, their choice to eat a massive chain’s pizza doesn’t gel with the fact that they live in the American pizza capital.
Uncharted (2022)
Product placement can be offensive to the audience when it is clear that no attempt was made to disguise it, and the 2022’s Uncharted suffered greatly from that problem. Getting specific, user 2ecStatic said “Mark Wahlberg literally goes ‘I’m literally standing inside a Papa Johns’ and then the next 10 minutes takes place inside the Papa Johns.”
Fans were hoping to get exotic locations from the video game adaptation, but what they got was an extended scene that uses the mediocrity pizza chain as a backdrop. Fans expect ads in a corporate film like Unchartedbut they also expect a bit more subtlety as well.
Jack And Jill (2011)
Adam Sandler’s epic career is known for its triumphant highs, but its terrible lows expose a deeper problem of how modern films are made. Allowing a certain film’s product placement to completely define it, user BrendanInJersey said sardonically “The entirety of Jack and Jill.”
The awful plot and execution aside, Jack and Jill was nothing but a shameless plug for products like Coca-Cola and Carnival Cruise Lines. In fact, an entire sequence of the film takes place aboard a Carnival ship, and the characters spend an indulgent amount of time essentially explaining to the audience the benefits of Carnival’s product.
